Skokie (/ˈskoʊki/; formerly Niles Center) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Its name comes from a Potawatomi word for "marsh".
The Skokie Park District maintains public spaces and historical sites within its more than 240 acres (0.97 km2) of parkland and in its ten facilities. The district is a recent winner of the national "Gold Medal for Excellence" in parks and recreation management. Every May since 1991, the park district hosts the Skokie Festival of Cultures to celebrate the village's diverse ethnic composition.
Westfield Old Orchard, an upscale shopping center, is one of the country's first and is the third largest mall by total square footage in Illinois.
Skokie has a sculpture garden that is situated between Dempster Street and Touhy Avenue on the east side of McCormick Boulevard. It was started in 1988 and now has over 70 sculptures. Three areas are toured in May through October of each year, on the last Sunday of the month with a presentation by a docent. Just north of the sculpture garden is a statue to Mahatma Gandhi with five of his famous quotations engraved around the base. This was dedicated on October 2, 2004.
In addition to municipally-managed public spaces, the village is also home to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, encompassing Centre East, Northlight Theatre and the Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra. The facility celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2006.
The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center opened in Skokie on April 19, 2009.
On October 7, 2008, the Skokie Public Library received the 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from First Lady Laura Bush in a ceremony at the White House. The National Medal is awarded annually by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, the primary source of federal support for the nation's 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums, to five libraries and five museums. The library's cultural programming and multilingual services were cited in the award presentation. Skokie Public Library is the first public library in Illinois to be awarded the medal.
Additionally, the Skokie Library also offers a bookmobile service that provides a mini-library around the community.
Downtown Skokie currently consists of an approximately 15-block area surrounded by several major institutions and businesses, including the Illinois Science + Technology Park to the north; the Skokie Public Library, Village Hall and Heritage Museum to the west and Oakton Community College to the south. The Downtown mix of merchants and restaurants is comprised primarily of traditional independently operated and owned businesses, with several notable franchises other than national banks represented. The Skokie Theatre, located just south of Lincoln Avenue and Oakton Street, was redeveloped in 2007. The CTA Oakton-Skokie Yellow Line Station opened in spring 2012. The station site is at the northwest corner of Oakton Street and Skokie Boulevard.
For more information please visit Downtown Skokie Reinvented
The Skokie Park District maintains public spaces and historical sites within its more than 240 acres (0.97 km2) of parkland and in its ten facilities. The district is a recent winner of the national "Gold Medal for Excellence" in parks and recreation management. Every May since 1991, the park district hosts the Skokie Festival of Cultures to celebrate the village's diverse ethnic composition.
Westfield Old Orchard, an upscale shopping center, is one of the country's first and is the third largest mall by total square footage in Illinois.
Skokie has a sculpture garden that is situated between Dempster Street and Touhy Avenue on the east side of McCormick Boulevard. It was started in 1988 and now has over 70 sculptures. Three areas are toured in May through October of each year, on the last Sunday of the month with a presentation by a docent. Just north of the sculpture garden is a statue to Mahatma Gandhi with five of his famous quotations engraved around the base. This was dedicated on October 2, 2004.
In addition to municipally-managed public spaces, the village is also home to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, encompassing Centre East, Northlight Theatre and the Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra. The facility celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2006.
The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center opened in Skokie on April 19, 2009.
On October 7, 2008, the Skokie Public Library received the 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from First Lady Laura Bush in a ceremony at the White House. The National Medal is awarded annually by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, the primary source of federal support for the nation's 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums, to five libraries and five museums. The library's cultural programming and multilingual services were cited in the award presentation. Skokie Public Library is the first public library in Illinois to be awarded the medal.
Additionally, the Skokie Library also offers a bookmobile service that provides a mini-library around the community.
Downtown Skokie currently consists of an approximately 15-block area surrounded by several major institutions and businesses, including the Illinois Science + Technology Park to the north; the Skokie Public Library, Village Hall and Heritage Museum to the west and Oakton Community College to the south. The Downtown mix of merchants and restaurants is comprised primarily of traditional independently operated and owned businesses, with several notable franchises other than national banks represented. The Skokie Theatre, located just south of Lincoln Avenue and Oakton Street, was redeveloped in 2007. The CTA Oakton-Skokie Yellow Line Station opened in spring 2012. The station site is at the northwest corner of Oakton Street and Skokie Boulevard.
For more information please visit Downtown Skokie Reinvented
